Bodies for isothermal transporting units such as refrigerated or heated trucks, pick-ups, trailers, railway cars, and the like are made of a synthetic material. The bodies, although they appear to be made in a monocoque construction, actually are obtained by the union of separate panels. The panels are mounted around a support structure and are interconnected and closed through special fastening devices.
In spite of the wide utilization of this type of body, this type suffers from many disadvantages. These include the complexity and expense of their manufacture because of waste of material, equipment and labor in the fabrication of many separate panels and a separate support structure for the panels, and assembly of the panels and support structure. All these steps adversely affect the manufacture of this type of body and thereby limit their popularity.
Another disadvantage of this type of body is its poor operating performance and durability. Because the separate panels which compose the body must be joined together, usually not in a rigid and permanent manner, cracks and rifts tend to appear due to travelling, for example on rough roads and streets, and similar tracks. These cracks jeopardize the performance of the vehicle body and therefore this type of body requires constant and costly repair and maintenance which further serves to limit the popularity of this type of body.